Thanks so much for sharing your life with us, Animaterra, Ellenpoly and all of you. I was reminded of the following writing, credited to Bishop Muzorewa. I used this as the text for My christmas Card back in 1990, and I still love to read it:

Love Them Anyway

People are unreasonable, illogical and self centered
   Love them anyway

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable
   Be honest and frank anyway

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight
   Build anyway

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth
   Give the world the best you have anyway

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives
   Do good anyway

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow
   Do good anyway

And now, lets all join in in singing Blessed Quietness

Jerry